From Survey to Solution: Mobile Application Targeting Health, Nutrition, Stress, and Sexual Wellness for Truckers Based on Route- and Age-Specific Needs Assessment in India
1
Programme, Plan International (India Chapter), Delhi, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3344
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Long-distance truckers exhibit HIV prevalence 1.00% (95% CI: 0.78-1.21) nearly five times the national average and face compounded vulnerabilities due to mobility, occupational risks, and limited healthcare access. Plan India carried out a needs assessment survey to enable precision programming and inform a user-centric mobile health platform.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted among truckers and allied workers registered under Plan India’s One Stop Centre (OSC) interventions. Stratified random sampling was applied, with OSC locations as strata and systematic random selection within sites. A total of 502 respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed.
RESULTS:
The average age of respondents was 35.7 years 65% respondents operating medium-distance routes (200–800 km). 78% earning under ₹20,000/month and with low educational attainment (60% up to Class 8). 75.2% reported musculoskeletal issues, 44.1% fever/cold, and 37.3% eye problems. 11.2 % reported diabetes and 10.2% hypertension, with 55.5% reporting at least one pre-existing disease. Lower income and education were linked to higher health burdens (p < 0.001; p ≈ 0.05). Nutrition was a concern, with 73.5% relying on roadside dhabas; awareness of risks from tobacco, alcohol, and energy drinks was low (27-30%). Sexual health awareness stood at 73.7%, highest among younger (80%) respondents and short-distance drivers (90.3%). Substance use was widespread (90.4%), with 75.7% expressing willingness to quit. Substance use is widespread across all income levels, but lowest-income group shows higher abstinence (p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
Truckers face significant health and occupational risks, including musculoskeletal problems, chronic diseases, stress, poor nutrition, and high substance use. Based on these findings, Plan India has developed a targeted, route- and age-specific mobile application, featuring multimedia, low-literacy, and offline-enabled content to support stress management, sexual health, substance use reduction, and nutrition, providing a scalable solution to enhance truckers’ wellbeing and safety.
Long-distance truckers exhibit HIV prevalence 1.00% (95% CI: 0.78-1.21) nearly five times the national average and face compounded vulnerabilities due to mobility, occupational risks, and limited healthcare access. Plan India carried out a needs assessment survey to enable precision programming and inform a user-centric mobile health platform.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted among truckers and allied workers registered under Plan India’s One Stop Centre (OSC) interventions. Stratified random sampling was applied, with OSC locations as strata and systematic random selection within sites. A total of 502 respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed.
RESULTS:
The average age of respondents was 35.7 years 65% respondents operating medium-distance routes (200–800 km). 78% earning under ₹20,000/month and with low educational attainment (60% up to Class 8). 75.2% reported musculoskeletal issues, 44.1% fever/cold, and 37.3% eye problems. 11.2 % reported diabetes and 10.2% hypertension, with 55.5% reporting at least one pre-existing disease. Lower income and education were linked to higher health burdens (p < 0.001; p ≈ 0.05). Nutrition was a concern, with 73.5% relying on roadside dhabas; awareness of risks from tobacco, alcohol, and energy drinks was low (27-30%). Sexual health awareness stood at 73.7%, highest among younger (80%) respondents and short-distance drivers (90.3%). Substance use was widespread (90.4%), with 75.7% expressing willingness to quit. Substance use is widespread across all income levels, but lowest-income group shows higher abstinence (p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
Truckers face significant health and occupational risks, including musculoskeletal problems, chronic diseases, stress, poor nutrition, and high substance use. Based on these findings, Plan India has developed a targeted, route- and age-specific mobile application, featuring multimedia, low-literacy, and offline-enabled content to support stress management, sexual health, substance use reduction, and nutrition, providing a scalable solution to enhance truckers’ wellbeing and safety.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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